WELFARE NEWS
Innsworth Station Welfare Office & Community Centre
The Welfare Office is based at Imjin Barracks , Innsworth . It is near the Innsworth SFA Area , behind the Costcutter shop on Innsworth Lane . The welfare office is located next to the Old Station Nursery which adjoin each other .
The Innsworth Station Community Centre is located immediately opposite the welfare office main entrance .
Office opening hours : Monday-Thursday 0830-1630 Friday 0830-1230
The full address , contact telephone number and email address are :
Innsworth Station Welfare Office Headquarters Allied Rapid Reaction Corps Imjin Barracks , Innsworth Gloucester , GL3 1HW
Welfare Reception Telephone : 01452 362550 Email : welfarearrc @ hotmail . co . uk
Welfare Facilities
The Welfare Office manages the station welfare facilities including the Community Centre , Welfare / Contact Houses , Bouncy Castles and Mini bus hire . The Community Centre is available and used for meetings , events and parties .
The two Welfare / Contact Houses are available for short term welfare related matters . Use of the houses is based on welfare priority order .
The Bouncy Castles can be booked for events and parties , held in the Centre or at personnel ’ s home .
The Mini bus can be booked for work or private use .
The facilities are booked and paid for in advance . Contact the Welfare Office Reception for full information , payments and how to book .
Message from the Station Welfare Officer
It has now been eighteen months since I arrived in Innsworth to assume the post of Station Welfare Officer ( SWO ). What an eighteen months it has turned out to be ! Who could have predicted a virus that would become a global pandemic , changing the way we go about our normal day to day business ? From a welfare perspective it was business as usual albeit the staff began working from home ( WFH ). WFH had its unique challenges , which were quickly overcome with the aid of the world wide web . Thank heavens for Skype and Zoom which became the new norm !
Unfortunately , during this period the community centre had to shut in line with UK Government COVID-19 guidelines . This particular period inevitably had a significant impact on the delivery of community engagement activities . The ability to get together to have a coffee and a chat along with all the other community-centre based activities quickly slipped through our grasp . Once again , the good old internet became our saviour . In a strange sort of way , it was really good fun . Having to deal with new IT skills that for a lot of us was an enormous challenge .
Thankfully , as I write this article there is some sense of normality returning in the welfare world . The community centre has once more has opened its doors since the 12th of April 2021 . For some , coming out of lockdown will remain a difficult time for readapting to the ‘ new norm ’.
For me , it is now time to move on into retirement from the Army and back to Wales . After 39 years ’ service to Queen and Country along with my very understanding wife Sue , it is now time for someone else to take up the mantel of looking after our soldiers and their families .
On the 29th June 2021 I handed over the responsibilities of Station Welfare Officer to Captain Steven Gibson ( Royal Scots ). I am sure that you will all welcome and support Steven and his family , just as you have supported me and my staff over a difficult 18 months . I wish you all the very best for the future , wherever that may take you .
Captain Gareth Dibble MBE VR RA
Discounted tickets for local attractions
Innsworth Station Welfare Office have discounted family tickets for nearby attractions :
Imjin Station Community Facebook ( FB ) Page
In conjunction with the newly created HQ ARRC website , the formal conduit of all information associated with Imjin Barracks and its people is the ‘ Imjin Station Community ’ FB Page . The page is regularly updated with day to day matters that affect all those associated with the station .
Welfare Facebook Page – Imjin Station Community : www . facebook . com / groups / Imjinstationcommunity
Bristol Zoo Clifton , Bristol BS8 3HA www . bristolzoo . org . uk
Noah ’ s Ark Zoo Farm Wraxall , Bristol , BS48 1PG www . noahsarkzoofarm . co . uk
All Things Wild Evesham , Worcestershire WR11 7QZ www . allthingswild . co . uk
Cattle Country Adventure Park Berkeley , Gloucestershire GL13 9EW www . cattlecountry . co . uk
WWT Slimbridge Slimbridge , Gloucestershire GL2 7BT wwt . wwt . org . uk / wetlands-centres / slimbridge
Tickets are booked and paid for in advance . To book tickets please contact the Welfare Office for further details by emailing the welfare receptionist , Mrs Ann Peaple : welfarearrc @ hotmail . co . uk
22 SUMMER 2021 the imjin Imjin Station Community